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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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145 Squadron Crest
25.10.1940 No. 145 Squadron Hurricane I P3926 SO-Y P/O. R.D. Yule

Operation: Patrol

Date: 25th October 1940 (Friday)

Unit: No. 145 Squadron

Type: Hurricane I

Serial: P3926

Code: SO-Y

Base: RAF Tangemere, West Sussex

Location: Brightling, East Sussex

Pilot: P/O. Robert Duncan Yule 33502 RAF Age 20. Wounded

REASON FOR LOSS:

Attacked by a Bf109 over Tenterden, but despite being wounded in the leg the pilot managed to force land his Hurricane at Barn Farm, Brightling at 12:30 hrs - then admitted to Pembury Hospital.

Returned back to the Squadron on the 17th February the following year. Then a few days later posted to 53 Operational Training Unit and then onto 61 OTU in June.

Returned to operations in November 1941 joining 501 Squadron, being awarded the DFC on the 17th April 1942 followed by a bar to that on the 20th November 1942 whilst at HQ Group on staff duties for service with 65 Squadron. Awarded the DSO in 1943

Sq/Ldr. Yule DFC bar Citation 20th November 1942. No. 66 Squadron.

Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in February this year, Squadron Leader Yule has displayed untiring devotion to duty, fine fighting spirit and excellent leadership which have been an example of the highest order. He has participated in many operational sorties and in the combined operations at Dieppe. He has destroyed several and damaged a number of other enemy aircraft”.

In 1953 based at 12 Group Horsham St. Faith in Norfolk, England he was then a Wing Commander flying Meteors. During a practice formation rehearsal for the coming Battle of Britain flypast his aircraft Meteor F.8 WF695 RDY was clipped by the canopy from Meteor WK936 which was taking evasive action when a Hurricane appeared in front of them.

Losing the tail of the Meteor the pilot, W/Cdr. Yule steered the aircraft in the heavily populated area of London to a small open space at Woolwich Arsenal. The pilot was killed but the only other injuries were minor to workers in the area. The pilot of Meteor WK936 made an emergency landing at RAF North Weald in Essex, admitted to hospital with head injuries.

Burial details:

P/O. Robert Duncan Yule. St. Margarets Church, Old Catton, Norfolk. Born on the 29th January 1920 Invercargill, New Zealand, the son of Mr. Robert Yule - dental Surgeon of New Zealand.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, also many thanks to Peter Clarke for the grave photograph - Peter does so much to remember fallen aircrew and others. Other sources as quoted below:

KTY - 22.10.2017

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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